Bathed in Flames
by SamNny
Summary: "All of my memories and thoughts from earlier came flooding back and I felt my grip around Misty tighten as my mouth moved. I couldn't hear what I was saying, but it didn't matter anymore. There was a sudden impact and I was certain that my body had broken against the water. Millions of fragments of what used to be me would scatter off downstream." AshMisty Pokéshipping


It was hard to believe we were in this here and now. This very moment where you feel like time is trying to crawl to a complete stop. I wish it would stop. I wish it would stop everything and everyone but me. I needed that frozen moment of time to recompose myself and help my friends. They were all in danger. They all needed me and I knew it, but... I couldn't do anything right now.

Brock. I could vaguely see him in my peripheral vision. He was all tied up with a rope and dangling from a tall tree. His backpack and Poké Balls were nowhere to be found. His head hung limp and his body was lifeless. He looked like he had been tortured, but I pushed such thoughts out of my head. He was alive, that much I was sure of.

Pikachu. My little buddy and best friend was in an electric-proof cage, also dangling from a tree. He looked exhausted, but I was relieved to see his chest rise and fall, though rather heavily. Like it was hard for him to breathe. He had scratches all over his body, but from what, I didn't remember.

I tried to scan the area for Misty, but it was near impossible for me to move. I squirmed around and found myself tied up like Brock, only I was tied to a large and extremely uncomfortable rock. My backpack was gone and so were my Poké Balls. My eyes were heavy and my head was throbbing. It felt like someone took a bat to the back of my head. My clothes were all tattered and my jeans had a ton of holes in them. My hat was crooked and I could feel the knots in my hair. I really got myself roughed up.

But I did my best to reposition myself and took to looking around again. Misty had to be somewhere nearby. But as I looked for her, all I saw was a rather unpleasant Jigglypuff. Her cheeks were all puffed out and her eyes were narrowed and, well, I remember what happened. She sang and put us to sleep. But this didn't look like the same Jigglypuff that had been discreetly following us around. This one looked more... tamed.

"Well, would you look at this? The brat's awake!"

My head shot up and my eyes were now fixated on a tall, lanky man with a hideous bowl haircut. His hair was a puky green color and his eyes were light lavender. He didn't look to be very intelligent, but then this really pretty lady came up from behind him. She had long magenta hair that was pulled off into a side braid and really cute glasses. She had on this light pink lip gloss and her eyes were an amazing shade blue. If I hadn't been so concerned with _who _they were and where _Misty _was, I probably would have been busted for staring.

Well, that and the fact that they were both wearing Team Rocket uniforms.

"What's going on?"

My voice was raspy and low. My throat felt really dry and my eyes were still heavy. I was having a hard time concentrating, but the man with the green hair stepped forward and grabbed my face. He was looking me over and then bust out into a fit of giggles and laughter. His lady friend just waited in the back and shook her head, more than likely ashamed at her immature counterpart.

I narrowed my eyes, fed up with whatever was going on here. I looked straight up into her blue eyes - those same ones that I thought were amazing, were now giving me an icy, cold look - and gave her my most serious and confident look.

"Where is Misty?"

Although my voice was still cracked, the lady heard me and she proceeded to take a few steps forward and smirk. Her partner had taken his place at her side, but just as he was about to speak, she slapped her hand over his mouth.

"Getting right to point, are we? I guess everything did happen too fast for you to remember. Let's start off with some proper introductions, though, shall we? My name is Lucy and this pathetic excuse of a man is my partner, Robert."

"I don't really care about your names. All I needed to know was that you were part of Team Rocket. Now, where is Misty?"

"You really are a feisty one, aren't you, Ash?"

"How did you know my name?"

Lucy put a hand over her mouth to try and stifle her laughter, but Robert made no such effort and laughed in my face.

"Please, everyone knows who you three kids are. You're only the talk of Team Rocket headquarters! We love making fools out of those nitwits, Jesse and James, every time they get beaten by you. It's hilarious!"

Lucy wiped at her eyes, nodding in agreement with Robert.

"But enough of that. You really want to know where your friend is?"

I narrowed my eyes further, afraid of that sly look on her face. Whatever they did, Misty wasn't just all tied up like we were. Lucy pulled a Poké Ball out and launched it. A Flareon emerged and stood by its master. Then Robert tossed out a Poké Ball and had a Charmeleon at his side. Both Rocket members smirked before standing aside.

Behind them was a cliff overlooking a long drop to a fast-current river below. The whole scene looked familiar somehow, but that didn't matter anymore. Awake and frantic, a tied up Misty with tape over her mouth was kicking and flailing her legs while her body dangled over the cliff. Completely forgetting my beaten up and weakened body, I started thrashing against the rock, doing everything I could to free myself. Lucy and Robert laughed all the while, but I didn't care. I called out as loudly as I could to Brock and Pikachu. Brock didn't even budge and Pikachu barely stirred at all. They were still out cold.

I kept squirming until I felt a sharp pain strike my head. I had accidentally flung it back into the rock.

"Oh, that's gotta hurt! I guess we forgot to tell you that when Jigglypuff put you to sleep, you fell and hit your head pretty hard against the ground. You were bleeding, but we put a nice Band-Aid over it for you."

I hissed and glared at Robert, but he just snickered. These two got some sick pleasure out of watching me struggle, but my heart dropped when I looked back and saw Misty giving me that look. That look that said 'help me' and 'give up' at the same time. Her eyes were sad and she looked like she was about to cry. I felt my heart race and pound at the sight of her, but everything got so much more intense when Lucy and Robert ordered their Pokémon to take position in front of her.

What were they doing?

Misty's eyes widened in horror, but I couldn't see what was happening anymore. Lucy and Robert had turned their backs to me, leaving me with nothing but a view of my friends face. Her beautiful face. I didn't know why, but I let my mind wander back to when we met. I kept getting images of the past, each one involving her. Her soft orange hair that was always pulled up and off to the side. It always smelled like soap and sunshine. Her deep green eyes that were always full of enthusiasm and passion. Her soft lips that were almost always curled up into a smile. Her light skin that was always soft to the touch and flawless in every way. My cheeks turned a dark crimson color, but I was soon pulled from my memories by an awful command.

"Flareon!"

Lucy was preparing to do something.

"Charmeleon!"

So was Robert.

"Flamethrower!"

My heart stopped. This wasn't normal. Whenever Team Rocket attacked, they made it a point to steal our Pokémon - nothing more. They might tie us up or restrain us. This certainly wasn't the first time we'd been knocked out, but still... this? They had never resorted to this kind of violence. They were taking this whole Pokémon-knapping-thing way too far!

I used my shoulder blades to thrust my body upwards. All of my thrashing around earlier hadn't been for nothing. The ropes finally snapped and I jolted forward, ignoring the loud protests of my aching body. They were going to torch Misty and let her burning body fall into the river. Like Hell I would let that happen!

I roared, gaining the attention of both Racketeers, and forcibly pushed them aside. I brushed past their Pokémon in mid-attack and leaped for Misty. I heard her scream and then there was a snap. And then it was just a burning sensation with the feeling of wind ripping at my skin. My ears filtered out all sound and noise, leaving everything deafeningly quiet. All of my memories and thoughts from earlier came flooding back and I felt my grip around Misty tighten as my mouth moved. I couldn't hear what I was saying, but it didn't matter anymore. There was a sudden impact and I was certain that my body had broken against the water. Millions of fragments of what used to be me would scatter off downstream.

Needless to say, if I was lucky, I had blacked out.

And I guess I had to be lucky, because I felt my eyelids slowly crack open. I was surrounded by trees and I was facing the night sky. Stars were scattered everywhere and I couldn't see the moon, but there was still a bright light. I was barely able to turn my head and see Brock and Pikachu tending the fire. Fire...

"Misty!"

My throat was still sore and the sudden outburst accompanied by my body flying upward, caused me to scream in unbearable pain. I fell harshly back down and Brock was immediately at my side. He was gripping my shaking body while Pikachu grabbed a wet cloth and placed it on my forehead. Brock grabbed some pain medicine out of his backpack and force-fed them to me. As he poured the cool water into my mouth to wash down the medicine, I felt a welcomed wave of relief.

"Ash, you have to be more careful. You got seriously injured today; your body can't handle much more of your recklessness."

Groaning and feeling another headache coming on, I looked over to him.

"What happened? Where is Misty?"

"Misty's fine, Ash. She's sleeping right next to you."

I turned my head to the other side and let go of the breath I hadn't realized I was holding. She was wrapped up in her sleeping bag, but I still saw the bandages and bruises on her face. Even though the sight made my stomach turn, I was too busy being overjoyed that she was alive.

"Pikachu and I found your bodies caught on a rock down by the river. We had one heck of a time trying to get down there and rescue you two."

"But you guys were all tied up and unconscious. What happened to Team Rocket?"

"They might have had Pikachu and I held captive, but they didn't take Togepi into account. The little guy came wandering out of the forest where they had our stuff stored with a Poké Ball in hand. He chucked it at the ground and my Onix came out. Fire Pokémon don't stand a chance against rock, so Onix swung at them and wrapped them up with his Bind attack. Togepi went back and brought out Geodude and Staryu to untie us. Then Staryu blasted us with some water and we woke up."

I let him keep talking, content with just knowing what happened. Togepi saved the day and they were safe. Pikachu curled up by me and I let my hand rest on his head. While Brock mumbled something about having to be more careful with Team Rocket, I just let my gaze linger on Misty. I don't really know why, but my cheeks were heating up again, and as I curled up more in my sleeping bag, I whispered to Pikachu:

"I can't believe it, buddy, but I think I'm falling in love with her."

* * *

"A/N: I am so far beyond uncertain about how this turned out. I like the idea of Team Rocket being a little more dangerous. If it wasn't clear, they were trying to harm Misty to get her out of the way so they could have everyone's Pokémon. Brock was next, followed by Ash. They weren't supposed to die, just so you know. Eh, this is my first ever attempt at Pokémon fanfiction and this whole story is during the Indigo League (season one). I don't want to rant forever, so... please leave a review and tell me what you think. I'm not sure if I should ever write for Pokémon again."


End file.
